HULL CITY 0-0 COVENTRY CITY BY KEV MONKS
Team
Westwood, Keogh, Wood, Turner, Cranie, Gunnarsson, Clingan, Carsley, Ward (Baker 75), Platt, Jutkiewicz SNU McSheffrey, Doyle, Ireland, McIndoe, McPake
Hull City
Duke, McShane, Ayala, Gerrard, Dawson, Garcia (Cullen 83), Bullard, Cairney, Koren, Vine, Simpson (Barmby 63) SNU Oxley, Cooper, Kilbane, Solano, Bostock
HT HCFC 0-0 CCFC FT HCFC 0-0 CCFCATT 20,626
Referee S. Rushton. Booked Ayala, Clingan
Man Of The Match Richard Keogh took the votes with nominations for Gunnarsson.
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Coventry City got the point most of us would have taken beforehand from a trip to Hull City with a goal-less draw.
This was my 1900th City first team game and we arrived in Hull on a pleasant sunny afternoon. After finding somewhere else to park thanks to a fair being set up, we took our place in the away end at the KC Stadium and were joined by around 600 supporters from Brighton, Kent, Southampton, London, Surrey, Gloucestershire, Cambridgeshire, Northamptonshire and plenty from Coventry & Warwickshire who helped fill the block behind the goal we were allocated.
The City support was in fine voice as the City team without Marlon King who is expected to be out for three weeks and disappointing the home fans who had a song enitled "She Said No Marlon" epecially prepared for him, came onto the pitch.
Lukas Jutkiewicz took his place in a City team in their Sky Blue kit which attacked the far end in the first half.
Hull, who had lost 4-0 at Burnley on Tuesday had their big guns like Jimmy Bullard playing as well as loanee Rowan Vine. The former Fulham and Peterborough midfelder controlled the midfield. Playing like he owned the pitch and he probably does on his wages, Bullard's passing was excellent along with his presence and vision.
This meant that Hull attacked more in the first half and they had won two corners in the first 15th minutes. Keiren Westwood had a solid game, punching one corner away before he palmed away a shot on the left from Vine.
This led to a corner which fell for Bullard to strike the foot of the left hand post of Westwood. With Jutkiewicz failing to really threaten the goal, hoof it to Platt was the order of the day.
Platt did well, winning his headers but far too often, there was no-one around to feed on the offerings.
Five minutes before the break, Paul McShane, not the bloke off Hi De Hi, fell over in the area and was livid when Mr Rushton failed to award the penalty he thought he deserved.
Lee Carsley, who worked hard in midfield put in a good block to stop Vine.
The City supporters, when they were not abusing Nigel Pearson for managing Leicester, were enjoying some excellent very good natured banter with the Hull fans to our left.
It added some atmosphere to what was a game between two competitve sides both lacking some bite in front of goal.
In the 50th minute, Richard Keogh was tripped after being played in by Jutkiewicz. Again, no penalty resulted but City attacked again with Keogh and Gunnarsson both having shots.
We had reached the 57th minute when City created their best chance of the game. Gunnarsson got down the right and sent over a cross for Danny Ward. The ball was at the same height that Gary McSheffrey scored from on Tuesday night but Ward could only muster a tame header that the home keeper Matt Duke easily dealt with.
Hull sent on Nick Barmby before the Coventry supporters screamed for a penalty for a ball to hand incident by Daniel Ayala. City went for five in midfield for the last fifteen minutes.
Duke made a great save to deny Gunnarsson and with eight minutes left, Platt knocked on a Gunnarsson throw into the path of Jutkiewicz who could not get a decent touch as he dived in and the chance went begging.
Westwood made a good save in stoppage time as Coventry got the draw they had played for.